Fly-trap



No Model.)

F. A. LANE.

FLY TRAP.

No. 594,698. Patented Nov. 30,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'GFFrcE,

FREDERICK A. LANE, OF WATERVILLE, MAINE.

FLY-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,698, dated November30, 1897.

Application filed August 3, 1897. Serial No. 646,933. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, FREDERICK A. LANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Waterville, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Traps; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains'to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an automaticintermittently-acting mechanical fly-trap which will be capable ofcontinuing in operation for a considerable length of time withoutrequiring the care of any attendant. To this end I employ a pair ofcrushing boards or plates, automatic means for bringing them together,clockwork mechanism and connections for drawing one of said boards orplates from the other, and a tripping device which periodically setsthis board free to be sprung into contact with the other board again bythe automatic means aforesaid.

In the accompanying drawing the figure represents a perspective view ofthe fiy-trap in its open position, its closed position being indicatedby dotted lines.

A designates the platform or bed of the fly-trap, having at one endstandards B B and at the other standards 0 C. To this latter pair acrushing plate or board D is fixed in an upright position. Acorresponding movable plate or board E is mounted on guides e on thesaid bed or platform and drawn at intervals with a sudden snap againstthe former plate or board by two strong springs F, catching and crushingthe flies that have alighted or are about to alight on the afore saidstationary crushing plate or board D. They then fall, being dislodged bya slight resiliency of jaws D E, into a dead-fly receptacle G below thesame. Molasses or other fly-tempting material is smeared over the boardor jaw D or otherwise used to serve as a bait.

To provide for regularly opening and permitting the periodical suddenclosure of the pair of spring-jaws D E thus formed a series of wires orequivalent connections H extend from convenient points of the fiatmovable jaw E to a cord or chain I, which winds on hours,-bei11gcalculated to run for about that period. A train of wheels and pinionswhich are individually lettered, respectively, B S T U V and mounted onshort shafts i, u, and 12, makes connection between the wheel N and thelatter shaft, whereon is mounted an escapement-wheel W, turningtherewith. A pivoted weighted double pawlX of the anchor kind engagesthis escapement-wheel for regulating the speed of wheel N. This pawl isprovided with a pendulum, andthe extent of its vibration is governed bya set-screw n.

The main wheel Ndrivesthe fast pulley or drum L by means of pinion M andits shaft K. The said pulley carries a pivoted angular latch Z, which,is provided with a short lateral arm Z, arranged to engage an inclinedpin Z on the loose pulley or drum J, so that the two pulleys will turntogether. This latch has also a long forward arm or arms Z arranged tobe struck and depressed by one or more of the connections H when theseare drawn to that point by the winding of chain or cord I. The eifect ofsuch contact is to depress the arm Z and raise the armZ until the latteris moved out of contact with the pin Z thus freeing the loose pulley Jand the movable plate, board, or flat jaw E. The springs F, being thenat liberty to act, suddenly snaps the jaw E against the jaw D, asaforesaid, while a replacing-spring y on pulley L restores the latch Zto its first position.

At the next rotation of the said pulley the arm Z is again in contactwith the pin Z and the two pulleys or drums turn together, as before.

By this construction of my'fiy-trap I am enabled to get automaticaction, alternately opening and closing, extending through a number ofhours, with no need of personal supervision. When the mainspring runsdown, the dead flies are removed, the crank is turned for winding again,and the trap is placed in readiness for another long period of automaticservice.

Any other mechanical motor or power suitable to such work might besubstituted for the particular construction of clock-spring and gearingwhich I have shown without Cleparting from the scope of the broaderfeatures of my invention. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An automatically closing fly-trap, in combination with means forautomatically opening the same and automatic tripping devices, wherebyit is periodically freed from the means for opening it, in order topermit such automatic closure substantially as set loose pulley, a latchhaving an arm in conforth.

2. In a fly-trap a fixed jaw and a correj sponding jaw movable towardand from the same, a mechanical power and connections operating to drawthe latter jaw away from the former and tripping devices whichperiodically free the said movable jaw from the said power to permitclosure substantially as set forth.

A rotary shaft and two pulleys, on'efast and the other loose thereon, incombination with a mechanical powerautomatically drivin g the saidshaft, a pair of spring-closed insect-killing jaws, a connection fromone of such connection in order that said latch may betripped from saidpin, freeing the loose pulley and movable jaw at certain intervalssubstantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a pair of springclosed jaws for killing flies andother insects a cord and pulley and attachments for opening the saidjaws, a shaft on which the said pulley is loosely mounted, a pulley faston said shaft, separable connections between said pulleys arranged to befreed by attachments of the said cord at regular intervals, a

clock-spring and gearing whereby the said shaft is driven and anescapeinent controlling the action of the said spring substantially asset forth.

5. In combination with a mechanical power and a shaft driven thereby, afast pulley and a loose pulley on the said shaft, a pin on the tact withsaid pin and another forwardly-extending arm, a cord win'ding'on thesaid loose pulley and provided with means for acting on the said forwardarm to lift said latch out of engagement with said pin, a spring on thesaid fast pulley for restoring the said latch to its normal position anda pair of fly-crushing jaws, one of which is attached to the cord andwithdrawn by the winding of the said cord until the said latch istripped from the said pin as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. LANE.

lVit-nesses:

EVERETT R. Dnunnoxn, ALBERT L. DRUMMOND.

